Passenger windows in most commercial aircraft are relatively small in size. This is due, in part, to the limited capabilities of current transparent window materials and also due to the heavy and complex support structure needed to support these windows within the frame of the aircraft.
Typically, these transparent window materials consist of a transparent polymer. While very successful and exhibiting such useful qualities as high durability and easy formation of complex shapes, these polymer windows do have a limited strength capability.
Windows require the heavy support structure in order to support the window within the structural skin of the aircraft. This support structure generally includes window forgings, and stringers. Each component is designed to strengthen the skin panel which surrounds and supports the window. However, each component added in turn increases the cost and weight of the completed window assembly, thereby providing an incentive to keep passenger windows relatively small.
Accordingly, it would be highly desirable to either decrease the weight of current passenger window assemblies in modern aircraft and to alternatively provide larger passenger windows.
Accordingly, it would also be desirable to provide a method of making a transparent skin panel for use with an aircraft that provides an integrally formed transparent window panel that is both stronger and lighter than current passenger windows.